SEOUL, South Korea (AP) - Kim Jin-su has been ruled out of South Korea’s World Cup squad due to an ankle injury.
The Korea Football Association announced Thursday that Park Joo-ho will join the 23-man squad to replace the 21-year-old Kim, a Japan-based left back who has played nine internationals since Hong Myung-bo took over as head coach last year.
The 27-year-old Park, who has recovered from a foot injury that contributed to his omission from the original squad, is coming off a successful season in Germany with FSV Mainz 05.
QPR’s Yun Suk-young played 90 minutes at left back in Wednesday’s disappointing 1-0 home defeat by Tunisia.
The South Koreans, semifinalists at the 2002 World Cup, also have injury concerns over defender Hong Jeong-ho, who hurt an ankle in the loss to Tunisia.
South Korea will hold a training camp in Florida and play a warmup match against Ghana before heading to Brazil, where it kicks off its ninth World Cup campaign on June 17 against Russia. South Korea’s other Group H matches are against Algeria and Belgium.
___
Squad:
Goalkeepers: Jung Sung-ryeong (Suwon Bluewings), Kim Seung-gyu (Ulsan Horang-i), Lee Bom-young (Busan I’Park)
Defenders: Park Joo-ho (Mainz, Germany), Yun Suk-young (QPR, England), Kim Young-kwon (Guangzhou Evergrande, China), Hwang Seok-ho (Sanfrecce Hiroshima, Japan), Hong Jeong-ho (Augsburg, Germany), Kwak Tae-hwi (Al Hilal, Saudi Arabia), Lee Yong (Ulsan Horang-i), Kim Chang-soo (Kashiwa Reysol, Japan).
Midfielders: Ki Seung-yeung (Sunderland, England), Ha Dae-sung (Beijing Guoan, China), Han Kook-young (Kashiwa Reysol, Japan), Park Jung-woo (Guangzhou R&F, China), Son Heung-min (Bayer Leverkusen, Germany), Kim Bo-kyoung (Cardiff City, Wales), Lee Chung-yong (Bolton Wanderers, England), Ji Dong-won (Augusburg, Germany).
Forwards: Koo Ja-cheol (Mainz, Germany), Lee Keun-ho (Sangju Sangmu), Park Chu-young (Arsenal, England), Kim Shin-wook (Ulsan Horang-i).
Please read our comment policy before commenting.